[04/04/13 - 09:31 AM]Investigation Discovery Announces Largest Slate in Network History for 2013-14 Upfront SeasonSaid lineup includes 15 new series and a returning class of 22 hits.

[via press release from Investigation Discovery]

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY ANNOUNCES LARGEST SLATE IN NETWORK HISTORY FOR 2013-14 UPFRONT SEASON

--America's "Guilty Pleasure" Network Dishes Up 15 New Series and Brings Back 22 Returning Hits--

(New York, NY) - This Upfront season, Investigation Discovery (ID), the leading mystery and suspense network on television, launches its largest-ever slate of original programming, designed to keep viewers coming back for more stories of revenge, betrayal and love gone horribly wrong.

ID enters the Upfront season as a top ten network in delivery for both total day and daytime for women. Since its launch in January 2008, the network has raced up the ranking charts, from #50 in total day delivery of W25-54 to the #8 spot today, climbing 42 slots in just five years.

"Other networks might dabble in our programming genre, but our signature storytelling and the volume of original productions have made ID a major entertainment destination, especially for women," said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager, Investigation Discovery, Military Channel and Destination America. "Our loyal viewers continue to reward our commitment to "guilty pleasure" real-life dramas by watching more ID than ever before - in addition to being a top ten cable brand, we are also the #1 network in all of television - broadcast or cable -- for length of tune."

This month, ID will also launch its biggest public affairs campaign, ever, Inspire a Difference. This bold new initiative weaves together ID's ongoing national awareness efforts around civil rights, wrongful convictions and violence against women under one informative and inspiring banner designed to empower viewers to make an impact in their own communities. PSAs featuring top network hosts and experts begin airing in late April during National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

Signature series launching this year include the network's second original fast-paced, investigative newsmagazine, DEADLINE: CRIME WITH TAMRON HALL, featuring Today Show correspondent and MSNBC host Tamron Hall; and SURVIVING EVIL, hosted by actress Charisma Carpenter. Expanding ID's daytime-to-primetime strategy, which includes ID's hit primetime series DEADLY AFFAIRS hosted by soap opera queen Susan Lucci, ID has lured the king of daytime talk, Jerry Springer, to host an all-new series, TABLOID. The full list of new and returning original series for the 2013-14 Upfront season include the following:

NEW ORIGINAL SERIES

SURVIVING EVIL

Featuring dramatically and emotional stories of women who fought back against their attackers and survived against amazing odds, SURVIVING EVIL is hosted by Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel.) Carpenter is the survivor of a real-life incident that she endured more than 20 years ago and the series begins with her story. The actress and two friends were swimming at San Diego's Torrey Pines State Beach in 1991 when they were violently attacked by an armed, rogue police officer. Carpenter fought for her survival after being held at gunpoint, but her two friends were both shot by the attacker and seriously wounded. The police officer was sentenced to 56 years in prison for the attacks in addition to a series of rapes and robberies.

DEADLINE: CRIME WITH TAMRON HALL

Crime investigation, as any homicide detective will testify, is all about speed. Time lost is time wasted, and every minute counts in ID's new original newsmagazine DEADLINE: CRIME WITH TAMRON HALL, produced by NBC News' award-winning Peacock Productions. DEADLINE: CRIME goes beyond the headlines to explore not only what happened, but why it happened, and how it was investigated. Anchoring the series as host is NBC's Tamron Hall, a long-time network journalist with a vested interest in the criminal justice system. Hall knows first-hand the effects of violent crime, as her older sister was a homicide victim in a case that is still officially unsolved.

SOUTHERN FRIED HOMICIDE

Against a backdrop of Southern hospitality, etiquette, and Christian values, evil creeps in like vines on a time-worn plantation. SOUTHERN FRIED HOMICIDE proves that ugliness lurks behind beauty when cracks in good ol' moral values give way to cold-blooded murder. Actress Shanna Forrestall, a native of Louisiana, serves as the gatekeeper to these salacious stories from south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

ELDER SKELTER

Too old to enjoy their riches, too old to keep dry britches, but not too old to snuff out some b*tches! Prepare to hide under your lap blanket, because ELDER SKELTER tells shocking stories of senior citizens who committed cold, calculated crimes. Did they suffer from dementia, or had they spent a lifetime suppressing their sick fantasies before it all came to a head? After building reputations as model citizens, loving family members, and contributors to society, these oldies but no-longer-goodies cracked in their final years only to spend the rest of their retirement in prison.

TABLOID

Salacious headlines. Surreal true-life stories. Who doesn't scan the supermarket tabloids in the checkout line? Investigation Discovery (ID) introduces TABLOID, a new weekly series guaranteed to satisfy inquiring minds. Hosted by the Emmy Award-winning king of tabloid television, Jerry Springer, TABLOID peels back the curtain to probe the most bizarre larger-than-life stories you can't possibly imagine. Springer, who's no stranger to the sensational, brings more than 20 years of experience working with over-the-top characters to help guide viewers through these outrageous tales -- baring all of the horrific action, twists and turns, and macabre motivations behind eye-catching headlines.

DARKNESS OUTSIDE OF TOWN (wt)

Beyond the boundaries of ordinary life, there is another world that lies just outside of town, where places have no names. Investigating forgotten communities and shallow graves past the perimeters of society, DARKNESS OUTSIDE OF TOWN reveals what can happen in these solitary and desolate places. Gripping tales of betrayal and murder unfold as told by friends, family, and neighbors of the deceased. In places mere minutes from town but millions of miles from civilization, normal rules don't apply, and absolutely anything can happen.

THE FIRST KILL (wt)

Before there were dozens of victims, a nation-wide manhunt, and a guilty serial killer, there was THE FIRST KILL. This series explores the initial murder that inspired a killing spree, confounded law enforcement, and terrified the masses. Detectives who are haunted by unforgotten cold cases will finally connect the dots while family and friends of victims at last understand their loved one's death.

THE BAD OLD DAYS

THE BAD OLD DAYS is a nod to twisted tales of decades past, detailing the most provocative, juicy, real-life murder cases of the '50s and '60s. Set against the backdrop of the fetishized world of bullet bras, garter belts, suburban secrets and three-martini lunches, these stories of truly mad men and women reveal layer upon layer of warped relationships turned terrible crimes.

IMPOSTORS

Wealth. Power. Influence. Everybody wants them, but only a select few ever get them. When hard work and talent aren't enough, how do you get yourself noticed? IMPOSTORS explores schemers who have taken the quickest, riskiest, and dirtiest path to success: deceit. Exposing true accounts of real fraud, the series uncovers shocking stories of shrewd people who do almost anything to con their way into worlds of prestige and luxury.

A STRANGER IN MY HOME

Your house should be a place where we feel most comfortable, but to someone who wants to pose a threat, there's no better way to get inside your life than to get inside your home. Let the wrong person in and it could be the last mistake you ever make. A STRANGER IN MY HOME is the perfect blend of mystery and suspense, telling stories of what happens when strangers come together under one roof and begin new relationships. You might think you can trust this new acquaintance, but looks can be deceiving.

OBSESSION: DARK DESIRES

What happens when outsiders, loners, and losers are let in from the cold by a kind soul? OBSESSION: DARK DESIRES features horror stories of people who are shown the kindness of strangers, but instead of simply thanking their newfound friend, they form an obsession and refuse to let go. Latching onto every detail and hanging on every word, they often create a fantasy world in which mere acquaintanceship isn't enough.

BEAUTY QUEEN MURDERS

Beauty pageants are the stuff of dreams for so many girls who fantasize about being a princess for the day. For these beauty queens, a sash and crown may empower them to reach for the stars but it can't defend against the terrible fate that awaits. BEAUTY QUEEN MURDERS shines the spotlight on women who lived their lives in the public eye as America's sweethearts. They were all so young. They were all so beautiful. They all held so much promise. And they were all killed before their limelight was up.

I'D KILL FOR YOU

How far would you go for the person you love? Would you lie for them, die for them... or even kill for them? I'D KILL FOR YOU lifts the lid on unbelievable crimes in which one human's love is chosen over another's life. These pre-meditated, highly calculated killings were all orchestrated by a twisted manipulator who used their love as the ultimate murder weapon.

EVIL IN-LAW

EVIL IN-LAW reveals great marriages nearly ruined when a maniacal, meddling mother-in-law overstepped her bounds. They are stories that make you want to elope: the mother who slowly poisoned her daughter-in-law so she could raise the grandchildren as her own; the mother who tried to seduce her son-in-law because she was jealous of her own daughter; or the mother who faked a fatal illness to get her son to turn on his wife and move back in with mommy.

FEAR THY NEIGHBOR

You've got the home you've always dreamed of and the neighborhood to match. But someone close by has very different ideas. FEAR THY NEIGHBOR reveals what happens when a new homeowner unwittingly takes up residence within a stone's throw of a psycho, or when evil minds decide to lay down roots right next door. These are the terrifying tales of the unwanted neighbors who turn home sweet home into home sweet hell.

RETURNING ORIGINAL SERIES

ON THE CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN (Season 8)

Profiling fascinating true stories and featuring gripping interviews conducted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Paula Zahn, ON THE CASE is a shining example of ID's core brand mission to investigate life's mysteries through riveting storytelling. Zahn's journalistic expertise and passion for the truth resonate as ON THE CASE unravels shocking investigations that have dominated headlines, and intriguing original stories uncovered exclusively for ID's audience.

REDRUM (Season 2)

When it comes to murder, no detective starts their search at the beginning of the crime. Rather, a murder investigation always begins with the body, after the deed is done. It is up to the police to piece together the story, moving backwards in time until they arrive at the root of the crime. In ID's new series REDRUM, viewers follow the backwards tale of murder from false motives and mistaken witnesses to conversations taken completely out of context, until the truth finally comes out at the very end.

WIVES WITH KNIVES (Season 2)

WIVES WITH KNIVES features gripping stories of women who take extreme measures to cut off their relationships. Host Dr. Casey Jordan, a criminologist and behavioral analyst with a law degree, sits down with each wife to reveal what led them to slice and dice. While some women endured years of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse before fighting back, others were motivated by greed and jealousy.

ON DEATH ROW (Season 2)

In this special companion television series to Werner Herzog's critically-acclaimed theatrical documentary INTO THE ABYSS, the Academy-Award nominated filmmaker dives deeper into the abyss of the human soul. Through interviews with five additional inmates awaiting their appointment with a lethal injection in the Texas and Florida prison systems, Herzog conducts a uniquely thought-provoking analysis of why people, and the state, kill. Each episode features an intense interview with a death row inmate to hear their own account of life in captivity and the crime that condemned them.

FRENEMIES: LOYALTY TURNED LETHAL (Season 2)

Exploring riveting stories of loyalty betrayed, FRENEMIES: LOYALTY TURNED LETHAL shows what happens when friendships fall apart at the seams. Each episode traces friendships through good times to their gradual demise, as things turn sour and end in shocking, violent confrontation. What happened that turned these former friends into deadly frenemies?

MY DIRTY LITTLE SECRET (Season 2)

Everybody's got something to hide. Don't deny it. Deep down, you've got a DIRTY LITTLE SECRET. From the perfect housewife next door to the beloved community pastor, everyone has a few skeletons rattling around in their closet. But what if someone uncovered those skeletons? How far would you go to keep your secret from being spilled?

EVIL, I (Season 2)

Revealing the most intimate and forbidding stories from the darkest corners of a murderer's mind, EVIL, I explores real homicide investigations not through the usual sources such as police and prosecutors, but through the most visceral primary source there is: the killer himself. Every episode features emotional interviews with family and insight from the detectives who cracked the case, but it is the voice of the killer, describing his own thoughts and movements, that provides a disturbing look at shocking crimes.

FATAL VOWS (Season 2)

When marriages fail, divorce can turn ugly, even deadly. Each episode of FATAL VOWS explores tumultuous, shocking, and disturbing divorces, and delves into the criminal psychology behind what actually happens when one spouse determines that the only way out is murder. Guiding viewers through these crimes of passion are Dr. Brian Russell, an attorney as well as a forensic and clinical psychologist, and Stacy Kaiser, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship expert.

MOTIVES & MURDERS: CRACKING THE CASE (Season 2)

MOTIVES & MURDERS: CRACKING THE CASE explores the emotional stories of those attempting to find closure in homicide investigations, from the victims' families to the dedicated police officers. Combining the thrill of mystery with the visceral experience of true-crime drama, this series presents competing versions of what may have happened and re-enacts the events from different perspectives as new evidence comes to light.

ICE COLD KILLERS (Season 2)

As America's last true frontier, Alaska is an ideal destination for people wanting to experience the intrinsic beauty of isolated nature - but its wilderness also provides the perfect setting for keeping secrets. People go missing as if swallowed by the elements, but often there's something far more sinister to blame. ICE COLD KILLERS chronicles cases of people who have gone missing in Alaska, as told by their families, police, and - in some cases - even their cold-blooded abductors.

DEADLY SINS (Season 3)

When the basic desires of human nature come up against the darkest corners of the human soul, temptations can often be fatal. DEADLY SINS examines the true evils that push everyday individuals beyond the limits of the law. From gluttony and greed to lust, envy, sloth, wrath, and pride, this series reveals scandalous crimes driven by human instincts. Guiding viewers is attorney Darren Kavinoky, a criminal behavior expert who provides professional insight and legal expertise in his analysis of each case.

HOMICIDE HUNTER: LT. JOE KENDA (Season 3)

A murder will change the life of a victim, their families, and the convicted killer, but what about the investigator whose days and nights are consumed by finding answers? In each episode of HOMICIDE HUNTER: LT. JOE KENDA, the 23-year veteran of Colorado's homicide investigation unit - who has one of the highest case closure rates in the country - reveals chillingly vivid memories of murders that still haunt him today.

SCORNED: LOVE KILLS (Season 3)

SCORNED: LOVE KILLS examines the dark side of love with a voyeuristic peek into the lust and obsession that fueled some of the most senseless, but definitely not emotionless, crimes to make front-page headlines. From dalliances with dancers to a love triangle born from an underground swingers' club, the stories featured in SCORNED pair sexual intrigue with bedded betrayal to form a recipe for murder.

TRUE CRIME WITH APHRODITE JONES (Season 4)

A true crime series for tabloid aficionados, each episode follows best-selling author and crime expert Aphrodite Jones as she conducts her own investigations into some of the most headline-making crime stories of our time. Jones lands pivotal interviews and gains insider access to those connected to the case, revealing new evidence or unraveling new theories with exclusive interviews, photos, or never-before-seen footage about crimes you thought you knew.

NIGHTMARE NEXT DOOR (Season 4)

How well do you know your neighbors? NIGHTMARE NEXT DOOR tells the tales of mysterious murders from behind white picket fences that rocked Middle America. Each hour brings a new look into the evil that can lurk in the heart and soul of a tight-knit community. Interviews with investigators, prosecutors, family members and/or neighbors piece together the twisting tale of a classic whodunit, and forensic experiments lead viewers into the heart of the investigation.

WHO THE (BLEEP) DID I MARRY? (Season 4)

Pulling back the curtain on bizarre double lives, WHO THE (BLEEP) DID I MARRY? examines stories of couples in which one spouse has hidden a shocking secret. From bank robbers to bigamists and international spies, these sometimes shocking characters will have viewers shaking their heads in disbelief and wondering how the truths behind these scandalous spouses were kept hidden for so long.

DEVIL YOU KNOW (Season 4)

DEVIL YOU KNOW delves into the secret lives of men and women who masquerade as law-abiding citizens but, behind the charade, are hiding deadly intentions from their loved ones. As each story unfolds, family and friends give first-hand accounts of the unimaginable betrayal that left them in the dark. These harrowing personal testimonials take viewers on a twisted journey as our witnesses wrestle with the demons and devils they have come to know all too well.

FACING EVIL WITH CANDICE DELONG (Season 4)

Former FBI criminal profiler Candice DeLong goes behind prison walls to interview women whose shocking stories of love and betrayal landed them in the big house. In each episode, DeLong reveals the candid, sometimes shocking story of love and betrayal from the point-of-view of the woman herself. She interprets these intimate interviews for audiences drawing upon her impressive repertoire of sleuthing skills that include trailing terrorists, going undercover in gangs and hunting for the infamous Unabomber.

STALKED: SOMEONE'S WATCHING (Season 4)

With more than three million people falling victim to stalking in the United States each year, this widely misunderstood crime reaches far beyond celebrities and people in the public eye. STALKED: SOMEONE'S WATCHING profiles emotional stories of stalking victims and explores the twisted psychology of the people who relentlessly pursued them. Leading viewers through these tales of obsession is Michelle Ward, Ph.D., a criminal psychologist who has an expertise in neuroscience and personal experience as a stalking victim.

DANGEROUS PERSUASIONS (Season 2)

Following terrifyingly true tales of psychological manipulation, DANGEROUS PERSUASIONS explores everyday people who were brainwashed into making remarkable sacrifices and committing unthinkable acts in the process. Told through intimate, first-person accounts, each hour-long episode details the captivating stories of people who were lured into a web of deceit and lost themselves along the way.

DATES FROM HELL (Season 3)

Romantic dinners under the stars and cozy movie nights cuddled up on the couch turn for the worse faster than anyone expects in a new season of DATES FROM HELL. As the home of "love gone wrong" programming, this ID series profiles astounding cases of romance that are dead upon arrival - when the search for love turns into a struggle to get out alive. Whether it's just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or a seemingly perfect match that takes a twisted turn, survivors discuss what it was like to live through and escape a true date from hell.

BLOOD RELATIVES (Season 3)

From the outside, families can seem like harmonious units, pillars of the community in loving homes. But in BLOOD RELATIVES, the facades are shed to reveal complex layers of jealousy, adultery, and vengeance that resulted in the unthinkable: a murder within a family. From the matriarch to favored son, black sheep to heir apparent, each episode unravels the motives of every family member, who are all potential suspects . . . and potential victims. Narrating BLOOD RELATIVES is Brenda Strong, the voice of ABC's hit series DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES with her character Mary Alice Young.

About Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading mystery-and-suspense network on television and America's favorite "guilty pleasure." From harrowing crimes and salacious scandals to the in-depth investigations and heart-breaking mysteries that result, ID challenges our everyday understanding of culture, society and the human condition. ID delivers the highest-quality programming to nearly 82 million U.S. households with viewer favorites that include On the Case with Paula Zahn; Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda; Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?; Disappeared; Stalked: Someone's Watching; and Redrum. For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in 218 countries and territories.